World War II Honoree

Mary Agnes Hallaren

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lowell, Massachusetts

Honored By

Mary M. Travis

Relationship

Retired WAC Officer

JOINED THE U.S. ARMY IN 1942 AND BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST WOMAN VOLUNTEERS SELECTED FOR OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL (OCS) FOR THE WOMEN'S ARMY AUXILIARY CORPS (WAAC), WHICH EVENTUALLY BECAME THE WOMEN'S ARMY CORPS (WAC). AS A CAPTAIN, HALLAREN COMMANDED THE FIRST BATTALION OF WAACS IN EUROPE AND LATER BECAME THE DIRECTOR OF ALL WAC PERSONNEL ATTACHED TO THE 8TH AND 9TH AIR FORCES BASED IN ENGLAND. AT THE END OF WWII, SHE DIRECTED ALL 9,000 WAC PERSONNEL IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS. HALLARAN BECAME THE WAC DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND LATER WAS APPOINTED AS THE WAC'S THIRD DIRECTOR. RETIRED FROM THE U.S. ARMY AS A COLONEL. AWARDED AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, GERMAN OCCUPATION MEDAL, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL AND BRONZE STAR MEDAL.